Sweden + Skiing | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/sweden+skiing
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Downhill and cross-country skiing combined in Funäsfjällen, Swedenhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/25/downhill-cross-country-skiing-funasfjallen-sweden
Maria Westerståhl chose Sweden's Funäsfjällen ski area as an antidote to crowded resorts, but finds its downhill as enticing as its cross-country trails<p>'It's really all about speed, isn't it?&quot; My husband has come to a breathless stop beside me, at the bottom of the red Slalombacken slope in the resort of Ramundberget, close to the Norwegian border in western Sweden.</p><p>&quot;I was on rails!&quot; He beams, face flushed with adrenaline and wind-chill. It dawns on me that the moment has arrived. After a good decade of capable but stiffly cautious downhill skiing, my gracefully maturing life partner has unlocked the elusive secret of &quot;the flow&quot; – the exhilarating harmony of movement, gravity and control that we are on the slopes to pursue.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/25/downhill-cross-country-skiing-funasfjallen-sweden">Continue reading...</a>SkiingSwedenFamily holidaysWinter sportsTravelFri, 25 Oct 2013 20:00:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/25/downhill-cross-country-skiing-funasfjallen-swedenMaria WesterståhlMaria's son, Victor, and mother, Anna, on a cross-country trail. Photograph: Maria WesterståhlMaria WesterståhlMaria's son, Victor, and mother, Anna, on a cross-country trail. Photograph: Maria WesterståhlMaria Westerståhl2013-10-25T20:00:05ZReaders' writing competition: Familyhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/nov/20/readers-writing-competition-family-sweden
With so much space and snow, quaint chalets and no ski-lift queues, northern Sweden makes the ideal place for a family ski trip, says <strong>Alex Chai</strong>. And the eye candy isn't bad either <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/nov/20/readers-writing-competition-family-sweden">Continue reading...</a>Travel writing competitionFamily holidaysSwedenSkiingWinter sportsScotlandNorthern IrelandCampingWildlife holidaysTravelSat, 20 Nov 2010 00:06:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/nov/20/readers-writing-competition-family-swedenHenrik Trygg/Image Bank SwedenKids Åre us ... skiing in northern Sweden. Photograph: Henrik Trygg/Image Bank SwedenHenrik Trygg/Image Bank SwedenKids Åre us ... skiing in northern Sweden. Photograph: Henrik Trygg/Image Bank SwedenGuardian Staff2010-11-20T00:06:04ZThe white stuff – snowy adventureshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/nov/06/holidays-snow-skiing-snowboarding
Try tracking wolves, practicing your yoga, flying in a helicopter, snowboarding using a kite or running with the huskies<p>You've heard of kitesurfing; now try snowkiting – skiing or snowboarding powered by kite. You might not be flying off the mountain after two days of lessons, but you'll be on a high.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/nov/06/holidays-snow-skiing-snowboarding">Continue reading...</a>Winter sportsAdventure travelTravelSnowboardingSkiingCanadaNorth and Central AmericaSwitzerlandEuropeRomaniaFranceIcelandSwedenYoga holidaysSat, 06 Nov 2010 00:05:15 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/nov/06/holidays-snow-skiing-snowboardingAlamyHeli-skiing takes your adventures on the slopes to another level. Photograph: AlamyAlamyHeli-skiing takes your adventures on the slopes to another level. Photograph: AlamyRachel Dixon2010-11-06T00:05:15ZReaders' best budget ski places to stayhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/oct/25/readers-tips-budget-places-to-stay
<a href="http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk" title="">Been there</a> readers recommend their favourite cheap hotels, lodges and hostels <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/oct/25/readers-tips-budget-places-to-stay">Continue reading...</a>SkiingFranceEuropeAlpsSwedenUnited StatesNorth and Central AmericaPolandBulgariaBudget travelTravelMon, 25 Oct 2010 12:46:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/oct/25/readers-tips-budget-places-to-stayPRFireside Inn, Breckenridge.PRFireside Inn, Breckenridge.Guardian Staff2010-10-25T12:46:00ZGreat family ski tripshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/oct/23/family-ski-holiday-children
Quiet resorts with good nursery slopes, family-friendly facilities and a long season so you can go as early as Christmas or as late as Easter<p></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/oct/23/family-ski-holiday-children">Continue reading...</a>SkiingTravelFamily holidaysSwedenEuropeCanadaNorth and Central AmericaAustriaSwitzerlandFranceFri, 22 Oct 2010 23:06:10 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/oct/23/family-ski-holiday-childrenAlamyThe Alps are the classic family ski destination. Photograph: AlamyAlamyThe Alps are the classic family ski destination. Photograph: AlamyFelice Hardy2010-10-22T23:06:10ZFamily friendly ski resortshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jan/16/family-skiing-holidays-learn-children
With quiet slopes, plenty of fun activities and cheaper prices than the big-name resorts – even in school holidays – these small ski areas are ideal for young families<p>Loved by generations of French families, this Savoyard village is one of several resorts to have won the French government's &quot;<a href="http://www.familleplus.fr/" title="">Famille Plus</a>&quot; label for excellent children's facilities. A &quot;village des enfants&quot; takes care of those aged six months to 10 years, and there's lots of extra entertainment laid on, such as torch-lit ski descents, dog-sledding and ice-skating. The four other resorts of the Flaine area, with 77 lifts, are accessible, there's a shuttle bus to Cluses, which has a swimming pool, and it's only 35 minutes from Geneva.<br /><em>Le Buet has ski-in, ski-out self-catering apartments. </em><a href="http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/morillon.htm" title=""><em>Peak Retreats</em></a><em> (0844 576 0170) has a week for &pound;476 for a family of four, including premium FlexiPlus Eurotunnel with a car. Availability includes the two main Easter weeks (starting 27 March and 3 April). </em></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jan/16/family-skiing-holidays-learn-children">Continue reading...</a>SkiingFamily holidaysTravelSnowboardingFranceItalySwitzerlandAustriaSwedenCanadaClimbing holidaysAlpsWinter sportsSat, 16 Jan 2010 00:05:38 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/jan/16/family-skiing-holidays-learn-childrenPeter Cade/PRBaby, it's cold outside ... Small resorts with gentle slopes are perfect for young skiers. Photograph: Peter CadePeter Cade/PRBaby, it's cold outside ... Small resorts with gentle slopes are perfect for young skiers. Photograph: Peter CadeGemma Bowes2010-01-16T00:05:38ZSweden's highest ski lodgehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/nov/21/swedens-highest-ski-lodge-lapland
Staying overnight in a ski lodge inside the Arctic Circle allows access to an empty, off-piste paradise most skiers can only dream of<p>It's difficult to embrace the quiet beauty of a place when you're shifting through it at mach 10, skidoo engine roaring in your ears, cheeks whipped to burning in the cold. But as the dying sun cast its light across the thousands of snow crystals thrown up by the wind, the ensuing rainbow which hovered above the L&aring;ktatj&aring;kko Mountain Station compelled silent attention. Nestled 250km north of the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland, it's a place where you can let yourself believe in magic.</p><p>L&aring;ktatj&aring;kko, or L&aring;kta, is a tiny annex of the petite ski resort of Bjorkliden, just north of Abisko national park, accessible only by skidoo or touring skis. On the shores of Lake Tornetrask and dwarfed by the legendary Lapporten Gap, the U-shaped gateway to Lapland, Bjorkliden is a resort surrounded by epic scenery. Trains rattle past it from Kiruna to the better known ski destinations of Narvik and Riksgransen, meaning anyone who gets off will pretty much have all 24 pistes to themselves. Small and charming, it has one ski shop, one restaurant, one bar, one hotel and 80 beautiful self-catering cabins. Almost everyone is Norwegian or Swedish; Bjorkliden was a well-kept secret from British skiers until 2007, when Discover the World started offering packages to the destination. The main targets may be families and beginners, but the area also offers up a world of unexplored off-piste, heli-skiing and powder up to your thighs as late as May. Yet if it weren't for the local tipple being called Wolf Paw, you'd be forgiven for thinking life was pretty chilled in Bjorkliden.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/nov/21/swedens-highest-ski-lodge-lapland">Continue reading...</a>SwedenSkiingLaplandTravelWinter sportsArcticSat, 21 Nov 2009 00:06:24 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/nov/21/swedens-highest-ski-lodge-laplandPRWhite magic ... view of Lake Tornetrask and the Lapporten Gap from the resort of Bjorkliden, SwedenPRView of Lake Tornetrask and the Lapporten Gap from the resort of Bjorkliden, SwedenSusan Greenwood2009-11-21T00:06:24ZHow to have a holiday for nothing | Round uphttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/free-travel-holiday-budget
From swapping your home to going on a pilgrimage, there's more than one way to have a buckshee break. It's simply a case of knowing where to look<p>There's a home-swap site for almost everyone nowadays. <a href="http://www.thelmandlouise.com/" title="Thelma and Louise">Thelma and Louise</a>, the women travellers' online network, is the latest to get in on the act and is consequently modest in size, but for a wider range head to <a href="http://www.homelink.org.uk/" title="HomeLink International">HomeLink International</a>; established in 1953, it offers a choice of properties across 75 countries. You don't have to be gay to join <a href="http://www.gayhometrade.com/" title="Mi Casa Su Casa">Mi Casa Su Casa</a>, the home-trade network – a gay-friendly attitude is all that's needed – and you don't have to work in a school to benefit from <a href="http://www.teacherstravelweb.com/" title="Teachers Travel Web">Teachers Travel Web</a>; &quot;anyone who teaches something to someone&quot; is eligible to sign up for their home swap scheme. For travellers with disabilities, there's the Independent Living Institute's <a href="http://www.independentliving.org/vacaswap.html" title="Vacation Home Exchange">Vacation Home Exchange</a> programme: latest listings including an accessible family home in Victoria, Australia. But if it's a staycation with the kids you're planning, then check out the National Childbirth Trust's <a href="http://ncthouseswap.ning.com/" title="House Swap">House Swap</a> scheme. Until 20 November this year, you won't even need to pay the &pound;30 joining fee. And of course, don't forget to check out the Guardian's own <a href="http://www.guardianhomeexchange.co.uk/" title="home-exchange site">home-exchange site</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/free-travel-holiday-budget">Continue reading...</a>Budget travelTravelWomenGay and lesbian travelNew ZealandSwedenGothenburgStockholmNew YorkSkiingIcelandReykjavikScotlandWalesFinlandSpainSantiago de CompostelaTuscanyFri, 16 Oct 2009 23:05:02 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/17/free-travel-holiday-budgetAlamyFree and easy ... Terme di Saturnia, Tuscany, Italy. Photograph: AlamyAlamyFree and easy .... Terme di Saturnia, Tuscany, Italy. Photograph: AlamyStephanie Cross2009-10-16T23:05:02ZSnow report: The latest weather conditions at the world's ski resortshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/mar/08/ski-deals
<p><strong>France</strong> </p><p>Most resorts received between 10cm and 30cm on Wednesday, but some have had very strong winds, including Val Thorens, Val d'Is&egrave;re and Tignes. More snow was due this weekend.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/mar/08/ski-deals">Continue reading...</a>SkiingSnowboardingTravelFranceSwitzerlandItalyAustriaUnited StatesCanadaNorwaySwedenWinter sportsSun, 08 Mar 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/mar/08/ski-dealsGuardian Staff2009-03-08T00:01:00ZSnow reporthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/22/snow-conditions
<p><strong>France </strong>In the Portes du Soleil area, Les Gets and Chatel both received 15-20cm of snowfall last week, and powder can be found both on and off piste. The southern Alps, including Isola 2000, which hasn't seen snow since 10 February, had a sunny but cold week, which has protected the snow and produced great piste conditions. Dustings were expected across most resorts this weekend, with the Portes du Soleil and Grand Massif areas forecast to see the heaviest falls.</p><p><strong>Austria </strong>Austria enjoyed the best of the snowfall last week. The Ski Welt resorts of Ellmau, Fiss, Hopfgarten, Scheffau and S&ouml;ll had the most, all seeing at least 60cm in 24 hours. Conditions are reported to be phenomenal. Heavy snowfalls were expected in most resorts this weekend, with Lech/Zurs and St Anton forecast a whopping 90cm. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/22/snow-conditions">Continue reading...</a>SkiingSnowboardingTravelAustriaCanadaFranceItalyNorwayScotlandSwedenSwitzerlandUnited StatesSun, 22 Feb 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/22/snow-conditionsGuardian Staff2009-02-22T00:01:00ZSnow reporthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/15/snow-report-europe-us
<p><strong>France </strong>France was hit with a big storm last week, bringing with it winds of nearly 90mph. This caused many resorts to limit their lift operations, including Alpe d'Huez, Chamonix and Val d'Is&egrave;re, all of which experienced heavy snowfalls. More snow was forecast at most resorts this weekend, and if the wind subsides conditions will be fantastic.</p><p><strong>Austria </strong>Nearly 40cm fell at some resorts last week, and temperatures remain cold so the snow is in great condition. Further falls were expected this weekend and early this week, with some resorts, including Ischgl, Lech, St Anton and Zurs forecast to receive up to 60cm. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/15/snow-report-europe-us">Continue reading...</a>SkiingSnowboardingWinter sportsFranceAustriaSwitzerlandNorwaySwedenItalyEuropeUnited StatesCanadaTravelSun, 15 Feb 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/15/snow-report-europe-usGuardian Staff2009-02-15T00:01:00ZIkea it ain't: Sweden's stylish new budget skiing lodgehttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/14/sweden-skiing-copperhill-lodge-hotel
Sweden's celebrated sense of style has finally arrived on the country's ski slopes with the opening of a design hotel, where a shared suite costs less than &pound;40pp<p>'If you want to look good on the slopes, you need to think 1980s,&quot; said Robin, my ski guide, as we stopped to warm up with a rum-laced hot chocolate. &quot;Bright colours are what it's all about,&quot; he added, looking approvingly as I peeled off my fuschia bobble hat.</p><p>Style is important to Scandinavians, but you'd never have known it judging by their ski resorts. The last time I was in Scandinavia to ski, several years ago, the experience was a triumph of function over form. While the bleached Nordic landscapes I ploughed through by day were as frostily thrilling as I'd hoped, the hotel I drifted back to each night was more Surbiton than Stockholm. But in the last 12 months, the region's celebrated sense of style has finally hit its slopes.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/14/sweden-skiing-copperhill-lodge-hotel">Continue reading...</a>SwedenSkiingHotelsBudget travelTravelWinter sportsSat, 14 Feb 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/feb/14/sweden-skiing-copperhill-lodge-hotelHenrik Trygg/CorbisRace you to the bar ... cross-country skiing in Sweden. Photograph: Henrik Trygg/CorbisHenrik Trygg/CorbisCross-country skiing, Orebro County, Sweden Photograph: Henrik Trygg/CorbisRhiannon Batten2009-02-14T00:01:00ZSkiing in Kitzb&uuml;hel, Austriahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/25/skiing-austria-kitzbuhel
It was an uphill struggle but a night-time expedition by the light of a full moon in Kitzb&uuml;hel turned out to be just the thing to get William Hide out of his ski rut<p>There's a telling moment in the life of the average British &quot;one-week-a-year&quot; skier - ie me - when the battle between &quot;first lift of the day&quot; and &quot;alarm clock&quot; is finally won by the snooze button. Or it could be when the thought of fitting in just one more run before lunch is blotted out by noticing that the terrace of the restaurant is really quite empty so why not bag a table and get a schnitzel in before the crowds gather? </p><p>It's called being stuck in a ski rut and I needed something to steer me away from the slippery descent marked &quot;impending mid-life crisis&quot;. And that came in Kitzb&uuml;hel, home of the notorious Hahnenkamm downhill race, with its notoriously steep slopes - the gradient on the Mausefalle section is 85% - accompanied by 80,000 mad, cow-bell jangling Austrians baying for a home win. But rather than tackle something all downhill, I saw a notice for a challenge going in the opposite direction - a night-time ski-touring expedition lit by the full moon that coincided with my visit.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/25/skiing-austria-kitzbuhel">Continue reading...</a>SkiingWinter sportsHotelsTravelAustriaNorwayFranceSwedenSwitzerlandSun, 25 Jan 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/25/skiing-austria-kitzbuhelPRFull moon ski tour, Austria. Photograph: PRPRFull moon ski tour, Austria. Photograph: PRWilliam Hide2009-01-25T00:01:00ZSnow reporthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/18/snow-report-snowboarding-skiing
<p><strong>France </strong></p><p>Fresh snow fell in the Pyrenees last week. Bar&egrave;ges/La Mongie received 15cm, and the upper slopes now boast a fantastic metre and a half base. Most resorts in the French Alps only got a dusting but piste conditions are still great in Tignes and Val d'Is&egrave;re and more snow was forecast this weekend. The same goes for Vars and Serre Chevalier. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/18/snow-report-snowboarding-skiing">Continue reading...</a>SnowboardingSkiingWinter sportsFranceSwitzerlandItalyAustriaUnited StatesCanadaNorwaySwedenTravelScotlandSun, 18 Jan 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/18/snow-report-snowboarding-skiingGuardian Staff2009-01-18T00:01:00ZSnow reporthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/11/snow-report-weather-travel-skiing
<p><strong>France </strong></p><p>Snow fell at some resorts last week. Isola 2000 received 15cm midweek and the snow is light fluffy powder. In the Three Valleys, Courchevel, which also had a light dusting, reportedly has the best conditions, with superb on-piste snow and generally good cover off piste. Fine weather was forecast in most resorts today and early next week.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/11/snow-report-weather-travel-skiing">Continue reading...</a>SnowboardingSkiingWinter sportsFranceAustriaSwitzerlandItalyNorwaySwedenUnited StatesCanadaScotlandTravelEuropeSun, 11 Jan 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/11/snow-report-weather-travel-skiingGuardian Staff2009-01-11T00:01:00ZSki holidays the Euro can't spoilhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/04/skiing-hotels
<p><strong>Bulgaria</strong><br />For the past few years, Bulgaria has topped the cheap skiing chart. The main resorts are Bansko, a quickly growing town with modern ski infrastructure, and Borovets, which is popular for its nightlife. The resorts are Brit-heavy and traditional Bulgarian culture is rapidly disappearing, but if cheap and cheerful is what you're after you can't go wrong.</p><p>• <strong> The cost:</strong> Borovets - lift pass (six days) &pound;126.26; beer &pound;1.39; dinner for two &pound;16.75. Thomson Ski (0871 971 0578; <a href="http://www.thomsonski.co.uk">thomsonski.co.uk</a>) has a week's half-board at the Hotel Samokov, Borovets from &pound;369, including flights from Bristol on 7 March, lift pass and transfers. Book by 31 January.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/04/skiing-hotels">Continue reading...</a>SkiingHotelsEuropeCanadaTravelSlovakiaUnited StatesNorwaySwedenScotlandRomaniaBulgariaSnowboardingWinter sportsBudget travelSun, 04 Jan 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/04/skiing-hotelsNicola Iseard2009-01-04T00:01:00ZThe ultimate New Year getawayshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/nov/16/christmas-new-year-holidays
Whether you prefer to spend New Year's Eve partying to the max, turning over a new leaf for 2009, or simply getting as far away from the festivities as possible, Sarah Turner and Nicola Iseard have some hot ideas for post-Christmas breaks<p><strong>Paris</strong></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/nov/16/christmas-new-year-holidays">Continue reading...</a>Christmas and New YearParisNew ZealandFranceEdinburghUnited KingdomKrakowPolandBudapestHungaryMoroccoEthiopiaScotlandLibyaBalearic IslandsSpainWalesYorkshireSwedenCornwallAustriaFamily holidaysShort breaksRomantic tripsSkiingCultural tripsWalking holidaysRest and relaxationFestivalsTravelSun, 16 Nov 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/nov/16/christmas-new-year-holidaysAlamy/AlamyFireworks at Edinburgh Castle and the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photograph: AlamyAlamy/AlamyFireworks at Edinburgh Castle and the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photograph: AlamySarah Turner and Nicola Iseard2008-11-16T00:01:00ZTravel news in briefhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/nov/02/travel-news-in-brief
<p>Send an old mobile phone for recycling and get a night at a boutique hotel courtesy of Mr and Mrs Smith. That's the offer from Coolafone, a venture which launches this week and is aimed at reducing landfill waste and carbon emissions. Currently only 20 per cent of the 18 million phones thrown away annually in Britain are recycled. In return for sending your handset to a freepost address, you get a number of 'Coolacredits', which can be spent on a night in a hotel or other goods and services. See <a href="http://www.coolafone.com">coolafone.com</a>, which goes live on Wednesday. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/nov/02/travel-news-in-brief">Continue reading...</a>Short breaksWeekend breaksFood and drinkHotelsWinter sportsFlightsTravel websitesAdventure travelSkiingSwedenCanadaWalking holidaysTravelSun, 02 Nov 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/nov/02/travel-news-in-briefGuardian Staff2008-11-02T00:01:00ZSnow reporthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/02/wintersports.skiing
<p><strong>France</strong></p><p>Conditions were pretty poor on lower slopes last week, with continued warm weather and pronounced freeze-thaw (ice in the morning, slush in the afternoon), although the Trois Vall&eacute;es saw a dusting of snow on Wednesday. There may be more snow this weekend, but conditions won't improve dramatically until Tuesday, when temperatures are finally forecast to fall.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/02/wintersports.skiing">Continue reading...</a>Winter sportsSkiingSnowboardingFranceAustriaSwitzerlandItalyUnited StatesCanadaNorwaySwedenTravelSun, 02 Mar 2008 00:05:22 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/mar/02/wintersports.skiingGuardian Staff2008-03-02T00:05:22ZCan't ski, won't skihttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/23/wintersports.adventure
Paragliding, snow-shoeing, igloo-building ... how does anyone have time for skiing when there's so much more to do in the Alps, asks avowed pistephobe Dixe Wills<p>Aaah, the Ski Train. Slipping out of the new sparkly St Pancras, slithering under the Channel, slinking through the French countryside and only sliding to a halt once deep into the Alps. Could there be a lovelier way of leavening the wintry gloom than hopping aboard for a week of ski-related shenanigans?</p><p>It's unfortunate, then, that I am not a skier, and have no interest whatsoever in learning. After all, if God had intended us to ski, he'd have given us indestructible knees and free winter sports insurance. But that, of course, leaves me at an impasse, for the Ski Train is evidently far too good to leave to skiers. The solution? A week in the Alps non-skiing.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/23/wintersports.adventure">Continue reading...</a>Winter sportsAdventure travelExtreme sports holidaysSkiingSnowboardingItalyAustriaFranceSwedenSwitzerlandTravelSat, 23 Feb 2008 00:07:11 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/23/wintersports.adventureMaiden flight ... ready for take-off in the Alps. Photograph: Dixe WillsDixe Wills2008-02-23T00:07:11Z